Junior defender Colten Walsh (St. Louis, Missouri) scored a goal in the 89th minute of the game to lift University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer to a 4-3 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory over visiting Lindenwood University Friday evening at Strassweg Field.
Walsh’s goal was his second of the game and helped the Screaming Eagles avoid overtime in a game that USI held leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2.
Sophomore forward Zach Barton (St. Louis, Missouri) gave the Eagles the 1-0 lead in the 37th minute off a pass from sophomore midfielder Brian Winkler (Philpot, Kentucky). Lindenwood answered with a goal in the 43rd minute to send the teams into the intermission in a 1-1 tie.
USI (6-5-1, 6-5-1 GLVC) broke the stalemate early in the second half as sophomore midfielder Marky Lara (Evansville, Indiana) scored an unassisted goal less than a minute into the second period.
Walsh scored his first goal of the evening in the 53rd minute, off a pass from freshman midfielder Ian Bennett (Evansville, Indiana), to give the Eagles a 3-2 advantage, nearly four minutes after Lindenwood had tied the score for the second time.
The Lions (3-9-0, 3-9-0 GLVC), however, tied the score once more, this time with a goal in the 56th minute.
After the two teams combined for six goals in a 20-minute span, the scoring came to a grinding halt for the next 30 minutes and it looked as if the Eagles would be heading to overtime until a corner kick in the 88th minute got things rolling for the Eagles.
Walsh got a shot off following the corner kick, but a Lindenwood defender blocked the ball from reaching the net.
USI, however, kept possession, setting Walsh up for another shot after passes from Winkler and freshman midfielder Cade Walsh (St. Louis, Missouri). His second attempt would not be denied as the shot found the back of the net for the game-winner.
The Eagles conclude their regular-season home schedule Sunday at noon when they host the University of Missouri-St. Louis at Strassweg Field. The Tritons (7-2-2, 7-2-2 GLVC) were visiting McKendree University Friday night in Lebanon, Illinois.
